US: Ohio same-sex couple denied family public pool passes

Melody Mohn and Hela Young were denied family pool passes at an Ohio public pool (Image: Facebook)

An Ohio same-sex couple was denied family passes at a public pool due to city ordinance wording that states “a family pass must be issued to a mother and father.”

Hela Young, Melody Mohn and their four children were denied their request for a family pass at Heise Park Pool in Galion, Ohio in June.

Melody Mohn posted on Facebook on 18 June that the family would have to pay $200 (£115) for separate passes while families that do fit the ordinance’s definition of a “family” would pay $80 (£45) less.

City Council members met on Tuesday night to discuss changing the wording to include families that are outside the current definition put forth by the ordinance.

Council member Jon Kleinknecht told to WMFD-TV, a local news station: “I mentioned I am a conservative Christian, so I definitely have my beliefs on what a traditional marriage should be. But that’s not what this is about. This is about the children and it’s about them being able to use the pool.

“There’s lots of different family situations out there right now, and we need to take that into consideration.”

The council approved a motion to send the ordinance back to the Parks and Recreation Committee to work on the wording.